Automatic adjustable braking device.



PATLNTBD MAY12, 190'3.

M. M. MILLER. AUTOMATIC ADJUSTABLE BRAKTNGLLVTGL.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 27. 1902.

N0 MODEL.

INVENTOR WITNESSES No. 728,174. A PATENTED MAY I2, 190s.

M. M. MILLEE. AUTOMATICl ADJUSTABLE BEARING DEVICE.

APPLIOATIONJILED'SEPT. 27. 1902. No MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET z.

WITNESSES INVENTOR me cams news co.. moraumo.. wAsHmcToN. ac.

UNITED STATES Patented May 12, 1903.

PATENT OEEIOE.

MARION M. MILLER, OE PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIGNOR OE ONE- HALE To ARTHUR E. BELLOWS, OE PITTSEURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC ADJUSTABLE BRAKING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 728,174, dated May 12, 1903.

Application led September 27, 1902. Serial No. 125,036. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARION M. MILLER, of Pittsburg, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Automatic Adjustable Braking Device, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in Which- Figure lis a side elevation showing a hopper-car provided with my improved braking system. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same with the floor broken away, and Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views of parts hereinafter referred to. Y

My invention relates to that class of rail- Way-brakeswherein automatic means is prof vided to adjust the power of vthe brake for different loads; and it is designed to provide a simple and eective system of this character which may be applied to hopper-oars.

In the drawings, I show a'hopper-car Where the brake-cylinder is located beneath the overhanging end beneath the inclined Hoor portion of the car-body at one end.

5 is the braking-cylinder.-

6 is the push-rod, 7' the cylinder-lever, extending vertically in this` case, and 10' the connecting-rod, leading to the oating lever, whichisconnectedtothebrake-levers. Iprovide the cylinder-lever 7 at its upper end with a bent extension 30, having a longitudinal slot 3l, through which extends a pin 32, passing through the slotted ears of a bracket 33, secured to an end post of the car-frame. TWO links 34 are pivoted to the ends of the pin 32 outside the bracket-ears, and these links are pivoted at their upper end to a lever 35, Whose other end is rigidly secured to a rock-shaft 36, having also secured near its other end a lever 37. A link 38 pivotally connects the lever 37 to one arm 39 of a bellcrank lever, Whose'other arm 40 is pivotally connected with a rod 41, Whose other end is pvoted to the bracket 15', secured to the.

transom 16. The shaft 36 and the shaft for the bell-crank 3,9 are both mounted in sta' tionary bearings, shown in brackets 4:2, se

cured to the sloping bottom 43 of the hopperbody.

When .the sloping bottom is deflected under the load, the several parts are brought from the position shown in full-lines down to that shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4,' thus shifting the fulcrum-point of the cylinder-lever 7', which is at its end. Y

It will be understood that it is desirable to provide a point of support for the apparatus which is fixed relatively to the track, so that the car-body will move relatively to the fixed point. Hence in the case of a pedestal-truck, Where' the transom moves up and down relativel-y to the track, I would preferably use :as a fixed point of support some portion of the journal-box for the car-wheel axle, While `the movable point relative to this xedpoint may be either some 'part of the car-body or of the truck.

The advantages of my invention will be ob- -vious to those skilled in this/art. The difficulties heretofore experiencedby reason of theincorrect braking power of a hopper-car when loaded proportionate to the car When lightand vice versa, are overcome, and the change in load automatically changes the braking power, thus giving the desirable amount of power according to the load. The locking of the Wheels, on the one hand, and the insulicient braking of the car, on the -other hand, are prevented, and the change of the braking power is not dependent on the efficiency or intelligence of the trainmen.

Variations may be made in the form and arrangement of the connections by Which the vertical movement of the car shifts the connecting-rod, as well as in the brake connection and other parts, Without departing from my invention.

I Claiml. A hopper-car having a brakecylinder with connections located underl the sloping end floor, and an adjstingapparatus secured to said sloping end floor and arranged to said end fulcrum of the lever; substantially to change the braking power under deection as described.

by the load; substantially as described. In testimony whereof:` I have hereunto set 2. A hopper-car having braking mechanmy hand. 5 ism located beneath the sloping end Hoor of MARION M MILLER the hopper, a cylinder-lever having a fulcrum-point at its end, forming a part of the Vitnesses: mechanism, and connections operated by the L. M. REDMAN, deflection of the door and arranged to shift i H. M. CORWIN. 

